Open toe molded shoe form



Nov. 11, 1941.

L. w. REINHA'RDT OPEN TOE MOLDED SHOE 'FORM 7 Filed Sept. 28, 1940 (IttornegS.

Patented Nov. 11, 1941 OPEN TOE MOLDED SHOE FORM Louis W. Reinhardt, Brockton, Mass, assignor to George E. Belcher Company, Stoughton, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 28, 1940, Serial No. 358,868

2 Claims. (01. 12128) The subject matter of my present invention relates to improvements in shoe forms of molded fabric and to the methods of their production.

In my previous Letters Patent No. 2,087,195, I provided for certain features of reinforcement and methods of providing for them in hollow molded shoe forms of like general type, but specifically as therein shown and described for a form having its flange extended across a closed toe. This was entirely satisfactory for that type but offered no solution for an open toe type in which it is often desirable to omit the toe portion entirely.

Such an open toe at the forward end of the upper supporting portion of the form involves a serious problem because it has to receive and sustain the major loads and strains involved in its use in a shoe. Ordinary types of reinforcement entailed structures which showed or developed surface wrinkles in the form. Such wrinkles not only detract from the attractive smoothness desired, but in turn were apt to crease the lining or fore part of a shoe upper in which it was inserted and thus damage its salability.

These difficulties I have overcome by my present invention according to the concept of which I am able to obtain a wholly new shoe form of great rigidity and yet of complete simplicity of structure.

As illustrative of my improvements I have shown in the accompanying drawing an embodiment of characteristic type and have indicated the basis of its methodical fabrication. In the drawing, in which the parts shown are identified by usual characters of reference.

Fig. 1 shows a form as slightly tipped and viewed from the rear to expose its interior.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through such a form, and

Fig. 4 is a diminished view in plan of a cutout blank used according to my method of manufacture by molding on a last (not shown).

The shoe form selected for illustrative purposes is of the open toe fore part variety as contrasted with the closed toe end as shown in my previous patent. The contrast assists in the comparison by which the similar and different factors become more apparent.

In producing forms according to my present invention, I establish a form such as a blank as suggested in Fig. 4 from which the reinforcement basis is developed. The shoe form indicated in Fig. 1 has an open toe generally indicated at T and has a usual cone portion C.

As the open toe end T. is without the lateral support which is present where the end of the toe is closed, it is importantthat a basis of internal reinforcement be provided so that the form may be forced firmly into the toe of the shoe without having it collapse.

My invention contemplates a simple basis for this by so proportioning the over-all length of the preformed sheet of sized fabric material that it may be folded upon itself with its ends in concealed abutting relation to provide a smooth blank of desired thickness throughout and having overfolded edges.

This may be best understood by reference to the diagrammatic outline of Fig. 4. In this outline I provide a basis of form development somewhat similar to that shown in my previous patent but differing in its basis of reinforcement which, in my prior patent, was deliberately wrinkled to get actual folds or plaits in the area of the sole flange.

In the closed end type involved in my prior patent such folds or plaits did not contact with the shoe lining and therefore could not develop unsightly wrinkles in the display shoe. In forms according to my present invention wrinkles or ridges resulting from any overlapping of the material are highly undesirable and my invention avoids them altogether by bringing the ends Of the sheet into concealed abutting relation to obtain a continuous reinforcement.

Referring to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the sheet therein indicated includes the areas I and 2 which by folding on the indicated line 3 are brought to outside and inside relation to establish a blank from which the form is Wet-molded on a last as is usual practice and removed after the form has set. It will be understood that the sheet shown in Fig. 4 is preformed to approximately the shape of the ultimate shoe form so as to require the minimum of trimming after its removal from the last. When in the condition of Fig. 4. the preshaped sheet has an edge 2 defining the area 2 which is -to constitute the inner face of the form and the side edges 8 are tapered or inclined relative to its longitudinal axis. When folded on the indicated line 3 the edge 2' is disposed toward the indicated fold line 4. When folded along the line 4, the material in the area 1 of the area I is brought into concealed abutting relation with the edge 2' of the area 2 (see Fig. 3) to thereby establish the reinforcement plane of the open toe end of the form without formation of any wrinkle or ridge line which would detract from the desired smoothness abutting edge I.

of the outside surface of the form. The lateral edges of the area 1 are tapered as at 9 to its Thus the edge I abuts the 3 edge 2 in the same plane by the folding of the area 2 as best seen in Fig. 3.

This abutment of the edges 2' and I makes When the form is inserted in a shoe the lacings ends are not desired for external tying I provide 1 for concealment by the aperture 5. through the layers of the form adjacent its open 1 3 rear end so that the fingers can have ready access I to engage and draw the ends through theaper- This cuts ture and tuck them neatly inside the form as it lies within the fore part of thedisplayed shoe.

a continuous smooth reinforcement in the very 5 zones where pressures tending to cause collapse g are most apt to develop.

j are drawn up and adjusted. In cases where the consisting of a pair of blank portions, one of Forms in accordance with my invention are i producible at reasonable cost in smooth unwrinkled surface. finish-so that shoe interiors may be snugly fitted-without creasingor otherwise marring the appearance of the. shoe surfaces.

said portions being of greater length than the other of said portions and constituting the outer surface, said portions being transversely folded on an approximate center line of the blank to bring said portions into complete contact, the overlapping end of the longer portion being folded transversely to bring its end into abutting relation with the end of the shorter portion.

LOUIS W. REINHARDT. 

